Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-04-23
THE LEADER.

nose and costume. ASQulnC through Cue e'"o.
revealed a friend, and a few minutes la1er !
WAS seated poiselessly a few feet behind bel
listening to "Lohengrin" and enjoying, moi
for the first time, the charm of a nearly per.
feet woman. Who was it said that GOD
| Almighty took twenty years to make a per
feet woman? It was true in this case, and
the few extra wears had added something else
that may have been a disturbing element, bu'
only deepened the charm. Her profile cam
against the dark lining Of the boxes across
the way; her head, like those of maidens IN
the Panathcnaean procession bent orward q
trife modify; a small pink round ear was
listening to the slow words of a youth directly
at her back, and I thought the polished right
| shoulder-shoulders are immensely expressive
sometimes-had a certain protesting turn to
it. My admiration for this lovely vision had
been open enough the winter before to war
rant friends in retailing all the gossip of the
summer in regard to her. particularly OF
things I might be expected by no means to
relish, and I sat wondering whether any ct it
was true and whether the distracted look in
her face bad to do with what l had heard.
Finally I examined the youth. He proved
to be a noted leader of cotilions, not born to
New York, but already Indispensable to
young ladies and their mamma who gave
balls; rightfully esteemed, moreover, for his
taste in flowers and the fitting up OF boudoir
and drawing room. He too was worth exam
ming. I could not but think how nice of him
it was that he, like the young ladies his pa
irons and clients, should give SO much time
and pains to his dress. I envied heartily the
perfect set of his coat, the unwrinkled line OF
his trousers and the little patent leather shoe
that coyly reeped below. I wondered if they
were engaged, hoped they were not. and for
tilted Tao hope by rejecting that because they
were so alike in some things, because their
names were connected, because it was to the
world i'll all respects so fitting a match-just
for these reasons they never would marry.
The act ended and I waited for him to
move, bat lie would not bulge, though he saw
me well enough and knew who l was. l had
to rise and talk over him. The warm look of
friendship, the elaborate glance my friend
ave round about for a chair for me, were
not enough to move him. She was deter
mined, however; seeing that, he rose and
bowed himself out.
us it truea' said I, nodding in bis direc-
ton.
She looked away, frowned slightly, and
said:
"Take me round to Mrs. Norman's box: she
Is nearly alone, and there is so much chatter
ing here"
l reflected as We passed to the other box
that last year she would not nave dared to
even such an innocent thing as this.
Once ensconced in the vestibule to the box of
our kind chaperone a few questions brought
a flood of news.
II always told you that you have the gift
of bringing confidence down on yourself.
Well, yes, I am half engaged to that-to
that
Leader of cotilions," I said gravely.
She laughed. "He is more than that, but l
am not in so much danger as you may think.
It is a tribute to my vanity to know that he
is devoted to me. He is very intimate with
the girls who make me feel that l do not be-
long to them and theirs; that l am not rich;
that l do not dress, live and talk like them.
They invite me to their big balls, but not to
their special dances-don't you know! And
ask him how his swimming match girl
is because l was the best swimmer last year
at Narragansett. But" land here she heaved
sigh) "tbere is another"
"Great heavens! a thirdr
She eyed me with her candid orbs and
forced a faint. faint smile.
"Come! You know I never reckoned you
among my conquests. You are beyond
above me. l cannot imagine you among
them, and somehow should be sorry to class
you among them. You are apart; you are
father confessor."
"Go on, then, small penitent; perhaps after
all I have beard of him too"
She gave me a wistful look out of large
o1,oc nc ,,,,,oh NO f, cow Un,,SA l,l:>.>
anything wrong of me that gossips may have
reported" waited a little, with her lovely
head on one side, and then said:
"Harry does lead the cotillon well, and he
dances perfectly. Then at N~arragansett he
had his horses, and made me use one, though
I told mamma it was not the right thing and |
would cause gossip. He monopolized every |
moment, and Jack-that's the other one-had |
to fight for half a hours talk. But Harry |
doesn't care for swimming and l do. So Jack |
| saw each other a good deal on the
beach. And even after we quarreled he
would always swim out when I got into deep
water, so as to be near in case l needed him.
But of course never took the slightest no
of him then"
$50, sol You quarreled! About the
wen, yes. ne was JealOuS-and said
wanted to know if l was en-.
gaged-and made himself disagreeable gener-
ally. 1t isn't pleasant to keep two men apart
who hate each other mortally-and somehow
to like one better than the other, and
yet neither altogether"
every hard, l doubt not, said 1, and while |
saying it was surprised to detect a bitter
ness in my tone.
II understand what you mean" she said
quickly, "but you don't know everything,
and me least of ALL"
II withdraw the least suspicion of ironv
you may have thought to detect in what I
"That is right; now you are my good old
lear, to whom I can say anything I choose.
Know, then, Haroun al Raschid" II started
It the playful name she used the winter be-
ore, when for about three weeks I lived a
cries OF foolish Arabian nights-until she
,ured me- suddenly, "know, then, Haroun al
aaschid, that l am sure l do love Jack after
and would rather see his sulky face ten
than Harry all day long,"
(which can DO taken two ways ouotb
o myself.
Il am ill and dispirited. Harry is deem IN
Us cot'llons; he leads tonight. By the wav
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